A. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to data processing systems and, more particularly, to the entry of file notes for claims by insurance handlers.
B. Description of the Related Art
These days computers are essential to all businesses and business industries. The computer has transformed not only the way businesses interface with consumers, but also the way businesses function internally. For example, computers can reduce transaction costs, manage data, create reports, and increase overall efficiency of a business. Without the computer, most businesses, if not all businesses could not keep up with the changing times.
The insurance industry is an example of one business industry that has come to rely on the computer for a multitude of tasks. For example, insurance claim handlers use computers to capture data relating to insurance claims. Currently, the handlers use free form file notes and claim files to capture the data. Free form file notes are a computerized version of handwritten notes and usually contain data reflecting facts and/or events relating to various aspects of an insurance claim. Computer programs that capture data for these free forms typically reside on a large computers (e.g., mainframe computer) and use rudimentary graphical user interfaces. These programs can store information, such as the date and time that the claim is entered, a category for a claim (e.g., medical, auto, rental), and any additional file notes inputted by the handler for the claim. The free form computer programs enable insurance handlers to provide any information the handler determines to be important to the claim.
Thus, the free form file note creates inconsistent claims as prepared by the claim handlers. Many times, claim handlers, although entering the same information into file notes, enter the information using their own style. For example, one handler may indicate auto damages as “auto dam.=$15 k” while another handler may indicate auto damages in the file notes as “damages to car approx. 15 thousand.” Although both sets of free form file notes are complete, performing any analysis on the data in impossible. In fact, even though handlers generally enter in the same information over and over, and the information does not change from one handler to the next handler, the way the information is entered is inconsistent and not standardized.
Although the above mentioned computer programs enable handlers to input free form file notes pertaining to insurance claims using a computer, they are too flexible and therefore do not provide structure to file notes and/or claim files. There is therefore a need to automatically generate file notes for insurance claims, such that the file notes are similarly structured, and information in each file note may be easily located and/or modified.